Philosophy Workshop-Hendrik Lorenz, Character-virtue as a nonrational state in Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics

6:00 p.m.
- 8:00 p.m.

I argue that Aristotle’s conception of character-virtue in theEudemian Ethicsis modeled on the conception of courage that Plato introduces in Book 4 of theRepublic.As a result, character-virtue is a nonrational state. I then turn to the problem of how character-virtue, conceived of as a nonrational state, can make decision correct, as Aristotle inEEII 11 holds that it does. I reconstruct and discuss his inventive solution of this problem. The paper sheds light not only on theEudemianconception of character-virtue, but also on the concepts of decision (prohairesis)and practical wisdom (phronēsis), as they are employed in theEudemian Ethics.